Bin Laden Urges Muslims to Kill Americans to Avenge Iraqis

CAIRO — Osama bin Laden, the Saudi exile accused of masterminding the U.S. Embassy bombings in Africa in August, is calling on Muslims to kill Americans and Britons for the military strikes their countries carried out against Iraq.

"The British and the American people loudly declared their support for their leaders' decision to attack Iraq," Bin Laden said in Friday's edition of the pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al Awsat.

This made it "the duty of Muslims to confront, fight and kill" Britons and Americans, he said.

"And anything that can be taken from them by force is the rightful prize of Muslims," Bin Laden said.

The London-published newspaper said the interview was conducted in southern Afghanistan.

The U.S. and Britain carried out military strikes on Iraqi sites earlier this month to punish Baghdad for its alleged obstruction of U.N. inspectors seeking evidence of weapons of mass destruction.